Fruit-drier



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. B. SWEETLAND.

FRUIT DRIER.

No.2 98,713. Patented May 13, 1884,

12y&

I ATTORNEY N. PKYERS, Phma-Lithngraphcr. Washlngiun. D. c.

FRUIT DRIER.

Patented May 13, 1884.

' WITNESSES W m% M I Afforney N. PETERS. Phmo-Lima m mr. Washingldn, n. c.

Smarts JEROME B. SWVEETLAND, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN.

\ FRUIT DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,713, dated May 13,1884.

Application filed August 1, 1883. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME B. SWEETLAND, of Pontiac, county of Oakland, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvemeut in Fruit-Driers; and I declare the following to'bc a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in the combination of devices and appliances hereinafter specified, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 3 is avertical cross-section of the drying-cha1nber. Fig. 4. is a separate view illustrating the mechanism for removing the trays. Fig. 5 is a rear perspective of one of the end plates. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the deflector. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section through the furnace.

My invention relates to fruit-driers, and is designed more particularly as an improvement upon a fruit drier for which Letters Patent of the United States were granted to me of date June 15, 1880, No. 228,953; October 12, 1880, No. 233,298, and January 24, 1882, No. 252,815; and it consists, chiefly, first, in novel mechanism for delivering the trays after the fruit has been dried; second, in the improved construction of the deflector and distributer; third, in the construction of the front and rear end plates and their supporting legs; fourth, in the improved arrangement of the heating-tubes; fifth, in the method of supplying additional heat to the upper trays; sixth, in the means for elevating the trays, and in other improvements in the general construction and arrangement of the device, whereby the construction is simplified, chcapened, and made more efficient in its operation.

I carry out my invention as follows:

As illustrated in the drawings, Arepresents the dryingchamber, constructed of any suitable frame-work, A, open at the base, and provided with a removable cover, A having an escapeflue, a, and adapted to receive a series of fruittrays, a a e &c., the construction being such that said trays-may be elevated therein by suitable mechanism. For this purpose the frame is provided with spring supports or catches rF-preferably two on each side of the frame. These supports may be secured to the frame in any suitable manner -as, for instance, to brackets A the construction and arrangement being such that a tray may be inserted below the projecting flange of the support and be crowded upward, a suitable spring at o allowing the supports to yield and again resume their proper position for supporting the trays.

B is a rod located at the top of the drying- V chamber, provided with a sleeve, B constructed with an engaging-arm, 1), adapted to proj ect downward over the end of one of the trays.

B is a cord secured to the said sleeve and passed over asuitable pulley orstaple, b, and thence to the exterior of the frame, 1

B is a weighted cord,secured to the opposite end of the sleeve, and extending thence over a suitable pulley, b to the exterior of the frame, the construction being such that by means of the cord 13 the upper tray may be forced forward and out of the drying-chamber, through the gate A the sleeve being retracted to the opposlte end of the rod B by means of the weighted cord B If it is desired to build the drying-chamber to a considerable height, a suitable runway may be erected to receive the tray as it is delivered from the gate A It will be seen that this method of delivering the trays is simple, and affords a ready means for accomplishing the purpose. The frame of the drying-chamber may be provided with air-holes covered with suitable caps,c ,t0 assist in regulating the heat. The frame of the drying-chamber may be covered with sheet metal, or other proper material, whereby it shall be made practically fire-proof.

O is the furnace, consisting of a cylindrical or other suitable 'fire-box, G, and heatingtubes 0 In the construction of this furnace, instead of employing a supporting-frame of gas-pipe, as in my patent of October 12, 1880, No. 233,298,.I construct the front and rear end plates, D and D,with suitable legs, (1

- may be closed by a suitable cap, (1 which construction permits of expansion and contraction without breakage, as would otherwise be likely to occur if the plate were made solid.

The legs d and d, integral with said plates, are preferably constructed with a step or flange,

as shown at d, adapted to receive the longitudinal girts E, which may be secured in place thereon in any suitable manner--as, for instance, by means of screws d the flange (1 preferably extending beneath and upward 011 the inner side of said girts, thereby serving to strengthen the legs, as well as to receive said girts. I prefer also to construct the legs with inwardly-projecting feet, as shown at (1, through which the device may be secured upon suitable timbers, thereby adding strength and firmness in moving and transporting the apparatus. I also construct said end plates with an orifice, closed at one one end by a suitable cap, as shown at D, the interior heating-tubes communicating therewith, thereby facilitating the operation of cleaning said tubes. Upon the opposite plate a similar orifice communicates with the smoke-flue, as shown at D, the

interior heating-tubes communicating with said flue. I prefer also to constru ct said plates with orifices F, through which suitable material may be inserted for bleaching the fruit.

G are suitable connecting-girts, secured in any proper manner to the tops of the end plates, said plates preferably constructed with supporting-steps for this purpose.

H represents the sides of the furnace, said sides .secured over connecting rods h at the bottom and above the connecting-girts G, the construction being such thata draft of air may enter into the heating-chamber of the furnace beneath said sides, as shown at ha.

I is a base-plate constructed of any suitable material, secured upon the girts E and E, and

. extending from one girt to the other beneath the furnace, so as to prevent dust and dirt being communicated to the heating-chamber of the furnace, as otherwise the draft being through the heating-chamber and through the drying-chamber would tend to carry more or less dirt with it.

J and J are additional eonneeting-rods,

adapted to secure the two end plates together,

and also help to keep the sides H in place.

K is my improved deflector and distributer.

This is eonstructedwith a'suitable diaphragm,

K, upon which are located a series of slats, K, 111 a manner similar to the construction of ordinary wlndow-slats, the slats preferably extending outward at each end, so as to lap over the inner edges of the diaphragm, the slats being connected by two separate cross-1 It will be seen that one section of the slats may be turned so as to direct the heat in one direction, while the other slats may be bars,

the drying-chamber.

drying-chamber above. The draft of air which enters below the sides of the furnace and around the fire-box intothe heating-chamber, after being heated, is passed forward into the drying-chamber through the deflector and distributer, its passage through the same being regulated thereby. By this means I am en-- abled to break thedirect rays of the heat and distribute it as may seem desirable.

In the process of drying the fruit I prefer to insert a tray of fresh fruit into the base of the drying-chamber and to remove the dried fruit at the top in the manner described.

In order to elevate the series of trays in the drying-chamber, I construct ayoke, L, of any suitable material, preferably of gas-tubing, the side pieces, land Z, of said yoke extending downward through the girts at the top and bottom of the furnace; or they may be secured thereto in any proper manner, the construction being such that they may have a suitable vertical motion.

L and L representlongitudinal supportingarms, secured upon the yoke in any suitable manner, as shown in the drawings.

M and M represent levers upon each side the furnace, and preferably extending to each end thereof, and secured intermediate of their length upon the sides Z and Z of the yoke, said levers provided with a supporting-fulcrum, m, the construction being such that by properly manipulating said levers the yoke will be thrown upward, thereby elevating the trays of fruit, Where they will be held in place by means of the spring-supports in the frame of the fruit-drier, as already described.

For convenience of operation, the lovers may be connected at each end with the end bar, M. They may have suitably connected therewith a depending stirrup, whereby they may be operated by foot-power, said stirrup being so connected with the levers that any application of force will be exerted perpendicularly, as will be the case where the center of the stirrup has an equal bearing upon the levers at both sides of the furnace.

N is a smoke-flue.

It is sometimes desirablein drying fruit to introduce more heat into the upper portion of To accomplish thisresult, I provide thejdrying-chamber with a flue, 0, connected with the interior, and the smokeflue with a surrounding drum or jacket, P, communicating therewith, said drum provided at or nearthe bottom with orifices for the inlet of air, which will become heated by the smoke-flue, and must pass thence into the drying-chamber through the flue 0. After the fruit has been elevated to a certain height in the process of drying, it is sometimes found that the heat ascending from the base of the drying-chamber becomes exhausted, while the IIO moisture arising from the process in ascending tends to keep the fruit moist, thereby preventing its drying. By means of the drum I, by which heated air is admitted through the flue 0 into the drying-chamber at a suitable point, the extra heat needed is supplied. It will be seen, moreover, that this heat is obtained simply by economizing the heat, which would otherwise pass off from the fur nace through the smoke-flue and be wasted.

I desire to make the drying-chambers of any suitable material, and prefer, for the sake of their being fire-proof, to line them with suitable metal, or to manufacture them of galvanized iron, though I do not limit myself in the material employed. It will of course be understood that the evaporator is adapted to other uses than drying fruit.

I am aware of the patent to 0. NV. and E. A. Jones, of October 31, 1876, No. 183,943, and of that to J. T. Campbell, February 22, 1881, No. 237,958, and of that to J. Taylor, July 12, 1881, No. 244,337, and lay no claim to anything therein shown and described.

XVhat I claim is- 1. In a fruit-drier, the combination, with the drying-chamber constructed to receive a series of trays, of the guide-rod B, a sleeve sliding on said rod, and provided with a downwardly-extending arm, and a cord connected with said sleeve to move'the same forward, substantially as described.

2. In a fruit-drier, the combination, with the drying-chamber, of the guide-rod B, the sleeve sliding on said rod, and provided with a downwardly-extending arm adapted to engage with a tray, means for moving said sleeve forward, and means for retracting the sleeve after it has been moved forward, substantially as described.

3. In a fruit-drier, the deflector and distributor composed of the diaphragm, in combination with the two sections of slats, and means formoving the two sections of slats in opposite directions to each other, substantially as described.

4. In a fruit-drier, the combination, with the furnace, of the end plates, D D, said plates constructed in duplicate, and-provided with supporting-legs integral therewith, said legs constructed with flanges (1", adapted to receive and support suitable connecting-girts, substantially as described.

5. In a fruit-drier, the combination, with the furnace, of the end plates, D D, said plates constructed in duplicate, and provided with suitable orifices, suitable coverings for said orifices, legs (1 d, integral with said plates, said legs constructed with flanges d" and feet d, whereby the legs may be connected to a suitable base, substantially as described.

6. In a fruit'drier, the combination of the furnace, the vertically-moving yoke provided with supporting-arms at its upper end, the levers connected intermediate of their length to the yoke, and extending beyond both ends of the furnace, and means for operating said levers from either end of the furnace by hand or other power, substantially as described.

7. In a fruit-drier having a drying-chamber, a furnace below the chamber, and an escape-flue at the top of the chamber, the combination of a smoke-flue leading from the furnace outside thereof, a jacket surrounding said flue and perforated at its lower end for the admission of air, a flue connecting the jacket with the interior of the drying-chamber at its upper end for introducing heated air into the upper part of said chamber, and a series of slats for regulating and directing the entrance of heat into the lower part of the chamber, whereby dry heat is introduced into the chamber, both from its lower and upper portion, and the moisture permitted to escape through the top of the chamber, substantially as described.

8. In a fruit-drier, the combination, with the furnace, of the end plates, the girts connecting the plates, the side plate terminating above the girts, so as to form an intervening air-inlet, and the base-plate extending from one girt to the other under the furnace, substantially as described.

9. In a fruitdrier, the combination of a drying-chamber, a deflector and distributer, composed of sections of slats adapted to be moved in opposite directions to regulate and direct the entrance of heat into the chamber, spring-supports A to hold trays above said slats, and the elevating-yoke to lift said trays up onto the spring-supports, whereby said trays are gradually removed from the heat directing slats, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

JEROME :e. SWEETLAND.

Witnesses:

N. S. W'RIGHT, M. B. ODoenimrv. 

